Stocks Advance in Europe, Asia

Updated from 1:50 p.m. EST

Europe's stocks were stronger Thursday with many broad indices showing gains of 1% or more.

London's FTSE 100 rose 1.3% to 6282, and Frankfurt's Xetra DAX was up 0.9% at 6851. In Paris, the CAC 40 advanced 1% to 5662, while Milan's MIB 30 gained 0.7% to 42,421.

Estonia's OMX Tallinn Index was higher by 1.4%. Elsewhere in the Baltic region, Lithuania's NSEL 30 climbed 1.2% to 507.77, and Latvia's OMX Riga Index tacked on 0.2% to 695.80.

As for Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 was up 0.8% to 17,519, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng surged 1.6% to 20,430. Mainland China's equities were mixed, and South Korea's market was significantly stronger.

India's BSE Sensex was ahead by 1.3% to 14,267, and Singapore's Straits Times Index was up 1.4% to 3,168.